Having already engaged in some support I can say first hand they are as good as the Sunbelt support staff was (which is saying a lot) and I feel good about it going forward.
-----Original Message----- From: Alex Eckelberry [mailto:al...@sunbelt-software.com] Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 1:44 PM To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues Subject: RE: SEA no longer Sunbelt SEA was an OEM'd version of the Metalogix archiver (PAM for Exchange). The story behind our doing this is that we were working on our own archiver (based off of Ninja), but after months of development of our own, I felt that ultimately we were going to need to partner on this product. The amount of work required to make a best-in-class archiving product is quite significant. So partnering with the Metalogix folks made quite a bit more sense in this instance than doing it ourselves. The product is outstanding, and we really liked the Metalogix team (back then, it was called H&S Software). After the GFI acquisition, it was determined that SEA was better back in the hands of Metalogix. They will be supporting the product going forward. I will say that it does, actually, benefit the end-user more to deal directly with the original developer in an OEM relationship. I saw this with Metalogix, where they would put out builds to customers that we still hadn't finished running through our own test process. The support should be excellent. If it's not, let me know directly. I am good friends with a number of folks over there, and will always be happy to jump in and lend a hand. Ultimately, I really do believe this is in the best interests of all the parties -- for GFI, for Metalogix, and certainly, for the customers. Alex Eckelberry General Manager, Security Business Unit GFI Software, Inc. (formerly Sunbelt Software) 33 N. Garden Avenue, Clearwater, FL 33755 p: 919-297-1347 f: 727-562-5199 e: al...@gfi.com MSN: alex...@hotmail.com Skype: alexeckelberry oovoo: alexeck w: www.sunbeltsoftware.com b: www.sunbeltblog.com -----Original Message----- From: Jason Gurtz [mailto:jasongu...@npumail.com] Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 1:08 PM To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues Subject: RE: SEA no longer Sunbelt [N.B. We're NOT a GFI/Sunbelt customer and I speak here in general terms that apply to any product category. I'm specifically not saying GFI/Sunbelt offers poor support.] After reading the press release it seems clear that Metalogix has been the primary developer of the product all along and that it was simply rebranded by GFI/Sunbelt. I do hate to generalize, but if this is the case I'd assume better support now; not worse. Experience has shown that in general, the farther away you get from the original developer, the worse support gets since there are layers of people explaining along the way. There are exceptions. For example, I would expect great support (by great I mean better) if I had an Exchange support contract with certain people on this list (that everyone knows) instead of going direct to PSS. Obviously, this is less true with L1 support issues (Is the cord plugged in? Have you rebooted?, Have you patched? Etc...). But once issues start getting "for real," there is often an actual real bug or tough and complicated configuration or topology issue going on. If an actual developer is right there in the same building, a dramatic positive difference in the speed to resolution is usually the result. It's not always obvious that your support person is talking to the developers in between calls. Going back to my example exception... Isn't it true that the individuals participating here (and offering professional paid Exchange support) have some access to the Exchange product development team--similarly close access as the PSS team has even? So, it's not really an exception after all; it's simply gaining the development resources of a big company combined with someone's considerable deployment experience, all while avoiding that big company's darned big-company-itus. Also, thinking about product enhancement, it seems like incremental product enhancement could happen more easily when the original developer is doing support, seeing the true volume of each issue (and paying the piper for bad UI decisions, etc...). With a reseller involved there is a third party is absorbing the support calls and this data is likely not so clear to the developer. It's not impossible for a good communication chain to occur between a reseller and product developer but oh so often that communication is related more on how the reseller can increase sales, not on how they can sell a better product. But then maybe you guys and gals have more positive experiences than I with resellers. ~JasonG > -----Original Message----- > From: Stefan Jafs [mailto:stefan.j...@gmail.com] > Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 10:48 > To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues > Subject: SEA no longer Sunbelt > > I just received this press release today, Metalogix as taken back SEA from > Sunbelt: > http://www.metalogix.net/Company/News/ByYear/2011/Metalogix-Has-Acquired- > Sunbelt-s-Exchange-Archiver-and-File-Archiver-Distribution-Business/ > > i purchased SEA because of Sunbelts superior support, a well lets hope > Metalogix can keep the support an the same high level. > > -- > Stefan Jafs > > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt- > software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to > listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com > with the body: unsubscribe exchangelist --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe exchangelist --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe exchangelist CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT: The information transmitted, or contained or attached to or with this Notice is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain Protected Health Information (PHI), confidential and/or privileged material. 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